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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25772968">The Hatching</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearl09/pseuds/Pearl09'>Pearl09</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Of Kisses and Feelings [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, Episode: s04e04 Aithusa, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Surprise Kissing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:46:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,113</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25772968</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearl09/pseuds/Pearl09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the race to find the dragon egg ended, Arthur thought Merlin seemed a little off. He never expected to see a dragon again, though, let alone two.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Of Kisses and Feelings [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1855207</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Kisses Bingo</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Hatching</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Kisses bingo again! The prompt this time is "cheek kisses". I absolutely adore cheek kisses in a domestic setting and this paring seemed fit! That being said there isn't much plot I just wanted them to catch each other off guard with cheek kisses. Thanks for reading!</p><p>Ps: Arthur is aware of Merlin's magic in this ;)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“It’s strange to think that the building entirely collapsed on itself, don’t you think, Merlin?” Arthur asked, handing him his armor as he unstrapped it. </p><p>“Perhaps.” He seemed distracted. There had been one thing nagging Arthur ever since they watched it collapse, stuck in the back of his mind and refusing to leave. He hadn’t brought it up with all the other knights around on the journey back. He had a feeling he knew the answer. If he did, he didn’t want the others to know. Now, though, they were alone, so he could ask freely, and expect a similar response.</p><p>“Tell me, how was it that you were already by it when we came running?”</p><p>“I don’t know what you mean, sire.”</p><p>“Oh, now you’re playing the sire card when no one else is here to hear. I can tell something is up, Merlin. What is it?”</p><p>His eyes flicked to his travel bag, deposited on the table as he hadn’t been to his own quarters yet. “You were poisoned. All of you. If you hadn’t insisted on being dollop heads and playing with the food, I might have gotten a chance to eat it too before any of the effects set in.”</p><p>“So you healed us and didn’t think to wait or revive us?”</p><p>“How could I wait? He had threatened you, all of you, and I couldn’t let him get his hands on the egg. I couldn’t trust him. I’m not some maiden in need of protection. I can handle myself.”</p><p>Right. Ever since Arthur found out Merlin had magic, it had been a growing experience. No longer was he the one who stood around and watched the battle from the outskirts, almost getting killed by standing still, but the one providing the almost improbable help. An entire tree branch falling on the group of bandits, for example, was luck to some, oblivious to Merlin’s work. It was hard to remember when he had spent so long acting as the fool.</p><p>“What happened in there, then?”</p><p>Merlin shrugged. “The whole tower was a trap. That’s why it collapsed. It wasn’t my doing.”</p><p>“You’re still hiding something. You can’t hide anything from me, Merlin.”</p><p>“It took you how long to find out about my magic?” he said, and Arthur looked away. He had a point. With a sigh, Merlin continued, “Meet me at the gates at dusk.”</p><p>“If this is a proposition –”</p><p>Merlin quickly silenced him by pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. “I’ll tell you what you want to know then.”</p><p>Arthur grew red and muttered incoherently, watching as Merlin picked up his bag and left the room.</p><p>~~~</p><p>Merlin waited by the gate for a few minutes before a cloaked figure approached him, torch in hand.</p><p>“Is the cloak really necessary, Arthur? Who are you sneaking out of the castle from, yourself?”</p><p>“Not all people wear cloaks for sneaking around, Merlin.”</p><p>“With the hood up, too? I’ve seen many a visitor sneaking around just like that. Would you like to know what they were doing?”</p><p>Arthur raised his free hand and pushed Merlin’s head, making him stumble a few steps and start laughing. “Let’s get out of here before any of the guards find us. I have a feeling you don’t want to be followed.”</p><p>Merlin agreed, so swiftly, he led them through the forest. The sky grew darker and darker as they pushed through the brush and ducked under the low hanging branches. He was certain Arthur was going to speak up about it, say something about where they were going, about why their path through the woods was so strewn with obstacles, but he never did. He trusted Merlin that much to not make a sound until they finally stepped out in the clearing, Camelot in the distance. It meant a lot to Merlin, considering Arthur grew up not to trust magic. It really did.</p><p>“Alright, far enough from the castle that no one would really notice. It’s night time, even less people will notice. What is going on?”</p><p>Merlin held up a hand to have him stand back as he approached a stump in the clearing. He reached into his bag and carefully cradled the dragon egg in his hands before resting it on the stump. He had heard Arthur’s sharp inhale at the sight of it, and was now wondering what his reaction was going to be.</p><p>“Is that the dragon egg?” he asked carefully, and Merlin stepped back to him, nodding. “I thought you said it was destroyed?”</p><p>“I couldn’t let it happen. It is my duty to protect the dragons.”</p><p>“... as a sorcerer?”</p><p>“No. As the last dragonlord.”</p><p>Arthur startled as Kilgharrah landed on the other side of the stump, his hand reaching for his sword. Merlin stopped him, a smile on his face. “It’s alright; he won’t hurt you.”</p><p>Kilgharrah had a similar smile, leaning in closer to the egg. “I see you managed to rescue it.”</p><p>“Indeed. Is it still alive?”</p><p>He nodded and withdrew his head. “A dragon egg can live for thousands of years.”</p><p>“I thought you said we killed him,” Arthur said, dazed. The last time he had seen the dragon, they were in the middle of an intense fight.</p><p>“We might have killed each other if your friend hadn’t stepped in between,” Kilgharrah said, having heard him. “But I can not disobey the commands of a dragonlord.”</p><p>He looked to Merlin, whose face was brighter than he had ever seen before, lit like a summer’s sun with the smile adorning his face. </p><p>“When will it hatch?” Merlin asked.</p><p>“Only dragonlords can summon a young dragon from its egg. This solemn duty falls upon you, Merlin. You must name it.”</p><p>He thought about it and closed his eyes, silent for a few moments. When he next spoke, it was in that strange language that sent chills up Arthur’s arms – but he knew they weren’t a bad thing. “Aithusa.”</p><p>The egg cracked, and a small, white dragon peeked its head through the shell. Merlin’s smile grew wider as he watched it hatch, chuckling at the small roar it gave when it finally hatched.</p><p>Arthur chuckled and shook his head, wondering how he had managed to go so long without that brightness in his life. He leaned over and pressed a kiss on his cheek, watching with amusement as he grew red. “I’m going to head back and rest. There is a lot to do tomorrow. Please, continue to enjoy your dragon fun.”</p><p>“See you tomorrow, Arthur,” he smiled, wavering as the dragon quickly jumped onto his head and started nibbling his hair. “Bright and early.”</p><p>“I’m counting on it.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You can find me <a href="https://pearlll09.tumblr.com/">here on tumblr!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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